Worcestershire?
by soyamiso
Summary: Trunks and Goten try to grill for Father's Day, but reading comprehension poses a problem. I'm particularly proud of this one.
1. Default Chapter

This fic was inspired by the Buu Saga.  
  
Disclaimer: Same.  
  
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They had been planning it for weeks. Now the day was finally here – Father's Day. The two tykes adored their fathers and hoped to surprise them with a fantastic meal. With the older Saiyans off sparring, and their mothers out on a shopping trip, the chibis would have to fend for themselves. Trunks tucked the cookbook under his arm and flew to meet Goten.  
  
As the chibis sat in the Son kitchen, they pored over the cookbook. Too bad Gohan was playing superhero; otherwise, he could have helped them. Aware of their fathers' preferences, they focused mainly on the meat dishes. The boys salivated at each photograph. Everything looked so good! However, having only elementary reading skills, the two opted for a familiar choice.  
  
"Hamburgers shouldn't be so hard, Goten. We just need some meat and buns and chips."  
  
"But Trunks, how will we cook it? Mom won't let me play with fire."  
  
"That's okay, Goten. We'll just have to be quick about it. We'll have all the food ready, and it'll taste so good that they can't yell at us."  
  
Innocent little Goten nodded vigorously at his friend's wisdom.  
  
They went through the list of ingredients. Chi-Chi's kitchen was well stocked but they were still missing a few items.  
  
"We need some lean ground beef, Goten." Being the son of Vegeta and Bulma, Trunks had the natural ability to supervise and delegate. "You go get some, and I'll stay here. Since I can read better, I'll start putting the stuff together."  
  
"Sure thing, Trunks. I'll be back in a jiffy." The littlest Son flew off in high spirits, anticipating the joy on his father's face.  
  
Since his father and brother always hunted for food, it never occurred to Goten to enter a grocery store. He scoured the countryside high and low and finally spied his targets. Walking over to two cows, he lightly rapped them on the noggins and knocked them out cold. Ah, fresh meat. Their fathers would be so happy. He hoped that Trunks had the grill ready. He didn't want his mom to catch him playing with fire.  
  
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That's it for now. I'm trying something new: heart-warming fics with short chapters. Hope I succeed.  
  
Thanks for the reviews! 


	2. Worste-what?

Back at the Son house:  
  
"Worst - worstet-worst shire -" the eight-year-old tried to sound out the word. "I need worst shire sauce, but I don't know what that is." Frustrated, Trunks rifled through all of Chi-Chi's cabinets again.  
  
Goten landed in the yard and dropped the cattle. As he walked into the kitchen, he could hear his friend muttering.  
  
"…no idea." Trunks reread the page, and with fists raised in exasperation, cried, "Still no idea!" The tame-haired boy really wanted this to be perfect. He suspected that the Worcestershire sauce might be the key to a fantabulous burger.  
  
"Trunks!" Goten called. "I couldn't remember what we needed, so I brought back a lot of meat. Is it lean or ground?"  
  
The older boy looked in the cookbook. "It's lean ground beef, Goten. But that's okay. We'll each work on one and then mix them. You make the lean beef and I'll work on the ground one."  
  
Fortunately, the cows were still unconscious. The little boys would hate to do this if they were awake. Walking over to one of the animals, Trunks quickly broke all four legs. The cow mooed for half a second before passing out again. To the second bovine, Goten snapped two of its legs . The poor animal coughed up its cud and also passed out.   
  
"We'd better hurry, Goten. I haven't even started the fire, yet."   
  
The boys brushed off their hands.   
  
"Well, that's a start on the beef. We'll finish them later. I'm still having trouble with one thing," Trunks admitted. He pointed to a long word in the cookbook. "I have no idea, Goten." He tapped the word and emphatically stated, "Still… no… idea. And I bet that's the secret ingredient, too." He shook his head sadly.   
  
Goten saw his friend's distress and patted him on the shoulder. He'll help his bestest buddy make this the greatest Father's Day ever. "I'll get it for you, Trunks."   
  
Trunks brightened. "You know what it is?"  
  
"Sure. And I'll get a big one, too." Goten quickly flew off in search of the elusive ingredient.  
  
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Aw, aren't they sweeties?  
  
Thanks for the reviews! 


	3. Darn Recipes!

This chapter's a bit long.  
  
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Half an hour later, Trunks heard crying in the yard. He ran out to see his best friend leaning against the antlers of an unconscious stag. All four of its legs were broken.  
  
"No, no, no," sobbed the young Son. His chubby little fists pressed against his eyes. "I can't do it. I just can't do it."  
  
"Do what Goten?" asked his concerned buddy.  
  
"Yeah, Son. What can't you do?"  
  
Both boys jumped. Their fathers had returned earlier than expected -- and they had not even mixed the beef, yet.  
  
Goten wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He ran to his father and was caught in a loving embrace. Goku picked up his youngest child. "What is it Goten? What are you and Trunks trying to do," he asked again.  
  
"We were going to surprise you for Father's Day!" Trunks cried. "We wanted to make you hamburgers. I guess it's harder than we thought." The young Briefs looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. A gloved hand rested on his head.  
  
Vegeta tilted his son to face him. "Explain," the Saiyan prince commanded.  
  
"We needed some beef for the hamburgers…," the young prince pointed toward the waking heifers.  
  
The two fighters observed the incapacitated ruminants. One cow was having a miserable time trying to stand. Since two of its legs were broken, it only succeeded in a lopsided stance. The other cow also tried to rise. Unfortunately, with four broken legs, it remained wallowing desperately in the grass. Both bovines mooed pitifully.  
  
"…and I was to get it," interrupted Goten. "But I forgot what he wanted, so we got both lean and ground beef."  
  
Vegeta cocked an eyebrow and snickered. Even Kakarrot bit his lip. The leaning and grounded beef continued their pained mooing.  
  
"…and I was having a hard time trying to find the worst shire sauce because I had no idea…"  
  
"…so I told him that I'll get him one. I knocked it out; but Daddy, I couldn't do it. I couldn't poke out its eyes!" Goten wailed afresh into his father's gi.  
  
Goku looked at the crippled stag. By now, the animal was fully awake. The deer remained on its side and lazily chewed its cud. The knock Goten gave it had apparently depressed its pain receptors.  
  
"Alright, Son. But why did you have to break all of its legs?"  
  
"Trunks said he needed a still no-eyed deer," sniffled the little Son.  
  
Trunks gave his friend a puzzled look but said nothing.  
  
The two fathers exchanged glances; their lips pressed into thin lines. Vegeta coughed and gave his son a light pat on the head. Trunks beamed at the display of affection.  
  
"Well Kakkarrott, let's snap their necks and have us a barbeque."  
  
"Yippee!" Goku tossed his son into the air and caught him.  
  
But lo, before the sacrifice could commence, Bulma and Chi-Chi returned. The ladies screamed at the sight of the tormented animals. After a quick explanation and discovering that Goten had not paid for the cattle, the wives forced their husbands to feed the cows their precious senzu beans. There would be no thieving delinquents in either family. Since one deer was barely a morsel for four Saiyan appetites, they took pity on the creature and also gave it a bean.  
  
As he watched them heal, Vegeta gave a wry smile. "Be glad that our boys have not learned to curse, Kakkarrot." He nodded toward the stag.*  
  
"Huh?" Goku looked at the animals before them. Then he grinned in understanding. "I doubt if the senzu beans could re-attach that on the poor deer." He cackled at his unintentional pun.  
  
Once healed, the cows were returned and the deer set free. Chi-Chi made a wonderful meal, and they all had a great time, including Gohan, who returned just in time to partake of the feast.  
  
The End.  
  
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Did it give you the warm fuzzies?  
  
Thanks for the reviews!  
  
  
  
  
  
* What if Trunks had proclaimed, "still no f***ing idea?" Would Goten have gotten a stag with no eyes, no legs, and no genitals? 


End file.
